DAVIE, Florida – Miami general manager Chris Grier made it clear on Tuesday that Tua Tagovailoa is the starting defender for the Dolphins in 2021, and they are happy with their progress amid speculation that they could be a candidate to climb. another quarterback in the first round.
“We are very happy with Tua. He is our starting quarterback,” said Grier. “He did a good job this year by entering as a rookie, without offseason and with the challenge of dealing with all of that. I am very happy with him and I look forward to seeing him progress here over the course of a [full] off season going to next year. For us, we’re not really talking about draft strategy, nothing right now. “
Grier, alongside coach Brian Flores in the closing speech for the Dolphins’ season, said a few minutes later that they value competition in all positions, but reiterated that Tagovailoa is the guy in QB.
“We want to make it clear that Tua is our starter and we are very happy with his development so far,” said Grier.
Tagovailoa made 6-3 as a starter and launched 11 touchdown passes and five interceptions. Questions about the situation of the team’s quarterback arose because of a difficult end of season that saw Tagovailoa replaced twice in the fourth period by veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. Tagovailoa also threw three interceptions in his late-season loss to the Buffalo Bills.
But the Dolphins believe that a complete off-season will help Tagovailoa improve some of his rookie fights and that improving his squad, especially in receiving and running back, can help his overall effectiveness.
The Dolphins hold choices # 3 and # 18 in the 2021 draft of the NFL. Neither Grier nor Flores wanted to discuss the draft of the strategy much in January, but it seems that their main priorities will be to build around Tagovailoa and improve their squad to close the gap between them and the AFC champion East Bills.
Tagovailoa, who spoke after Sunday’s defeat, said he learned a lot during his debut season and hopes that a full off-season will take him to the next step as a player. He put a limit on his 2020 season with an Instagram post on Tuesday thanking Dolphins fans, expressing his joy at playing with his teammates and offering a message that “the roses will bloom again.”
Flores also announced that he hopes to have all of his technical assistants back in 2021, save for sudden changes, such as the hiring of one by another team. This includes the return of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who was criticized for having a conservative attack when Tagovailoa was QB.
Flores said he believes the offensive dynamics between Gailey and Tagovailoa will improve with more communication and comfort over time.
As for Fitzpatrick, it is unclear whether the 38-year-old veteran wants to return for a 17th NFL season. He will be an unrestricted free agent in March, and Flores said the Dolphins need to undergo a thorough assessment before determining whether Fitzpatrick or any of his other pending free agents will receive a contract offer to return in 2021.